This literature review examines research on the use of mobile devices in education. Studies show that mobile devices allow learning anywhere and anytime, and help English language learners, special needs students, and support curriculum learning. Schools are using mobile devices for note-taking, problem-solving simulations, and content sharing. Students are more motivated to use devices they are already familiar with. However, effective implementation requires teacher training, acceptable use policies, and addressing issues like cost and small screens. Overall, research indicates mobile devices can enhance learning when used appropriately.

1. Mobile Devices in Education:
A Literature Review
Charlotte King
ITEC 8133
Fall 2012

2. Introduction
Mobile devices are ever-present in today’s society
and schools are joining the trend. Devices such
as iPods, iPads, MP3 players, mobile phones,
and e-readers are being used across the world
for educational purposes. The literature and
research, while forthcoming as this is a fairly
new topic, offers a variety of studies as well as
recommendations for implementing mobile
devices into the classroom. The literature
reviewed will provide awareness into how and
why mobile devices are being used in education
and how they are enhancing learning.

3. Mobile Devices: Introduction
M-learning is the delivery of learning through mobile devices (Peters, 2007)
– Also includes e-learning
Mobile devices allow learners to learn any time, anywhere (Caudill, 2007)
Learners can easily carry and access reference tools in the real world with
mobile devices (Koole, McQuilkin & Ally, 2010 )
Students are already using these devices in their daily lives; applying them
in the classroom can make learning more motivating
– Students in Hooft, Kratcoski, Swan, and Unger’s (2005) study reported enjoying
using the devices for educational purposes, especially because they could take
the devices with them and access the information anywhere
“Digital Natives”
– Students presently in school
– Have grown up in a world of technology
– Are accustomed to communicating with others at any time
and any place
– Learners who, when faced with a question or obstacle in their everyday lives, find
the answer immediately (through mobile technology); educators must utilize
technology to apply this “demand to know” characteristic of digital natives in the
classroom (McCaffrey, 2011)
Mobile devices are allowing and encouraging students to learn outside the
classroom setting
– “Ubiquitous computing”: mobile devices being used all the time and on a regular
basis (Purcell, 2005)
The use of these mobile devices begins with the teachers

4. Mobile Devices:
How are schools using them?
English Language Learners (ELL)
– Language acquisition
– Listen to podcasts, lessons, etc. with limitless replay; learn new
vocabulary through listening, reading, and viewing pictures (Lacina,
2008)
– Translation and dictionary applications; self-recorded reading for
teacher feedback and self-monitoring (Demski, 2011)
– Students receive text messages on mobile phones with English learning
materials for use outside the classroom (Thornton & Houser, 2005)
Special Needs Students
– AT (Assistive Technology)
Special needs students are more willing to use AT in the classroom because
mobile devices are commonplace, for all students, not just those with special
needs
– Alleviate distractions by being able to hold the device and use
headphones to block out environmental noise (Blaisdell, 2006)
– Writing tools: easier for students to type than write if they have motor
skill issues; students are also more willing to do the writing because it is
physically easier (Vahey & Crawford, 2002)

5. Mobile Devices:
How are schools using them?
Curriculum Learning and Cognition
– Dialoguing with teachers and peers, monitoring comprehension, self-assessing,
and accessing information all the time, including outside the classroom and
applying this knowledge in their everyday lives (Koole, et al., 2010)
– Note-taking, test review, calculations—all which assist with organization skills
(Hooft, et al., 2005)
– Apply up-to-date information from numerous sources to learning and share that
information in a variety of formats (McCaffrey, 2011)
– Problem-based learning
Playing simulation games with real-life scenarios in which students are required to
conduct outside research to solve problems (Peters, 2007).
– Staff utilization with iPads and iPods: monitor and assess students without direct
observation (Koole, et al., 2010) and stay organized (Purcell, 2005)
– Content sharing with iPads and iPods: students are able to use podcasts and
other methods to share their knowledge and information with the entire world
(Caudill, 2007; Lacina, 2008; Saine, 2012)
– E-readers supply level-appropriate texts for students and include additional
features such as dictionary, highlighting, and note-taking abilities
– Mobile phones used for messaging (Rekkedal & Dye, 2007; Jones, Edwards, &
Reid, 2009)
Faster than e-mail—students were more apt to use messaging because of the fast
response time
– Mobile phones are used for online discussions, chatting, file transfer, and library
access and usage (Kadirire, 2007; Rekkedal & Dye, 2007; Caudill, 2007)

6. Mobile Devices:
How are schools using them?
Motivation
– Students are more motivated because they feel using
the mobile devices (as opposed to pen and paper
writing assignments) is “easier and more fun” (Hooft,
et al., 2005)
– Used as a reward (Price, 2011)
– Students already know
how to use the mobile
phones; using them for
educational purposes
allows them to use the
device in a new way
(Vahey & Crawford, 2002)

7. Mobile Devices: Benefits
Instructional
– Students
Organized; willing to collaborate and self-assess; more writing; engaged (Hooft, et al.,
2005)
Feel more connected to the course, classmates, and instructors (Kadirire, 2007; Jones
et al., 2009; Vahey, Crawford, 2002)
Motivated to use them, even after encountering problems (Couse & Chen, 2010
– Teachers
Differentiate instruction (Crichton, Pegler, & White, 2012)
– Able to send different text messages on mobile phones to different students based on ability
level (Lim & Wang, 2005)
– Easy navigation for people of all ages, including young children (Geist, 2011)
– E-books cost less than traditional texts (Shurtz & Isenburg, 2011)
Technological
– Portability; social interactivity; connection to other technologies and networks;
multiple inputs (keyboarding, drawing) (Hooft et al., 2005; Peters, 2007; Purcell,
2005)
– Cost compared to computers; ease of carrying and accessing information
(Crichton et al., 2012; Geist, 2011)
– Anytime access
Students reported language progress partially due to accessibility of information during
everyday life (Cavus & Ibriham, 2009)

8. Mobile Devices: Drawbacks/Issues
Instructional
– Cost; ubiquity (in remote areas) (Koole, et al., 2010; Purcell, 2005)
Technological
– Small screen size
– Difficulty for input/output of text
– Technology is ever-changing: the devices of today could be replaced
tomorrow
– When using multiple devices, syncing them together can be difficult
(Crichton et al., 2012)
– Internet connections are unavailable without Wi-Fi (Rekkedel & Dye,
2007)
– Mobile phones: battery life and small screens and buttons (Milrad &
Spikol, 2007; Rekkedal & Dye, 2007; Vahey, Crawford, 2002)

9. Recommendations for Implementing
Mobile Devices into the Classroom
Teacher Training
– Need several course and numerous hours of training to use devices successfully (Blaisdell,
2006; Crichton, Pegler, & White, 2012; Demski, 2011; Geist, 2011; Koole, McQuilkin & Ally,
2010; Lacina, 2008; Purcell, 2005)
– Need time after training to further familiarize themselves and plan for specific instruction
(Lacina, 2008; Purcell, 2005)
– Allow teachers to use the mobile devices outside the classroom, motivating them to find new
ways to utilize them (Newton & Dell, 2011)
Acceptable Use
– Policies need to be established and maintained (Blaisdell, 2006)
– Administrators and instructors need to explain digital citizenship, how to use the devices
properly, and blocking necessary items from students (Crichton, Pegler, & White, 2012)
Instruction
– Use mobile technology as often as possible (Briggs, 2012)
– Use in meaningful and justifiable ways, not just to “use” the technology (Crichton et al.,
2012)
– Encourage students to be creative and take ownership of learning and outcomes (Lacina,
2008)
– Provide explicit instructions and modeling when appropriate (Lacina, 2008)
– Observe other teachers utilizing the technology; integrate the use of technology when
applicable to the instruction and when the instructor feels comfortable using the technology
(Lacina, 2008)
Other
– Access to high bandwidth networks for unlimited, constant internet access for all users
(Rekkedal & Dye, 2007)

10. Conclusion
Overall, the research shows that using mobile devices in
the classroom is beneficial. Conversely, there is not
much research out there on this topic; most of the
research that is available is qualitative in nature.
More research needs to be completed in order for further
conclusions to be made. This can only happen if
teachers are motivated to use mobile technologies and
researchers are willing to conduct studies.
Mobile devices in education is a phenomenon that will
continue to grow as the digital natives do; teachers must
strive to meet the expectations and challenges of
working with mobile technology in the classroom and
fostering lifelong, meaningful learning in their students.

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12. Photo References
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